How to Prune Gulf Stream Nandina

Gulf Stream is a dwarf variety of nandina, an evergreen shrub also known as heavenly bamboo. Gulf Stream is prized by gardeners requiring a shot of color in the garden as it bears bronze foliage in the spring, turning green for summer and then red in the fall. Growing to 3 feet tall with an equal spread, Gulf Stream is best for gardeners who live in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 11. Nandina has a tendency to become bare at the bottom, which can be remedied with strategic pruning.

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Remove dead and spindly stems back to a large branch or to the soil.

Remove up to half of the growth at the bottom of the Gulf Stream nandina to encourage the shrub to grow fuller. Cut this growth off at the soil.

Renovate the neglected Dwarf Stream nandina by cutting the entire plant back to one-third its size. Cut the stems to different lengths, to give the Gulf Stream nandina a natural look.

Fertilize the nandina with a 10-30-10 fertilizer after pruning. Apply the amount suggested on the label and water as you normally do.